Chapter 283

[Thousand Forging Technique · Entered (61/200)]

Half an hour later, a faint light flashed before his eyes, and the panel actually popped up, indicating that the progress of the *Thousand Forging Technique* had increased by one point.

At this time, Elder Huoyun also stopped.

That originally very ordinary mysterious iron actually emitted a faint fluctuation similar to spiritual iron.

Although it wasn't as intense as spiritual iron, it indeed had the characteristics that only spiritual iron had.

Xu Yang was shocked. No wonder Elder Huoyun said that if the *Thousand Forging Technique* reached the pinnacle realm, ordinary materials could also forge semi-spiritual weapons.

This *Thousand Forging Technique* could actually make ordinary iron possess the same characteristics as spiritual iron.

Elder Huoyun enjoyed the eyes full of shock and worship from these disciples with satisfaction. His gaze swept over Xu Yang, his heart stirred, and he said: "Xu Yang, come here."

In an instant, everyone’s gaze fell on Xu Yang.

"Disciple greets Master!" He didn't dare to be slow, hurriedly stepping forward and cupping his hands.

Elder Huoyun nodded: "You haven't been on the peak for a short time; you should have started cultivating the *Thousand Forging Technique* too."

Xu Yang nodded: "Reporting to Master, more than twenty days ago, the disciple had already started going to the Weapon Forging Pavilion to cultivate the *Thousand Forging Technique*."

"How is the cultivation going?" Elder Huoyun laughed.

"Difficult!" Xu Yang said concisely.

In fact, he didn't know if it was difficult or not, because he often hammered mysterious iron into scrap when cultivating the *Thousand Forging Technique*, so in order not to waste money.

His cultivation of the *Thousand Forging Technique* in the Weapon Forging Pavilion was basically just putting on a show, showing others that he was cultivating the *Thousand Forging Technique*.

His cultivation method was still using the panel to improve.

"Now you try it; let Master see how your talent for weapon forging is," Elder Huoyun said.

Today was actually mainly for Xu Yang, to see if this new disciple had talent for weapon forging. If he did, he would focus on cultivating him in the future.

If he didn't, he naturally wouldn't pay attention to him in the future, letting him focus on martial arts.

Basically, every disciple who apprenticed under him was like this.

"Alright!"

Xu Yang turned and clamped a piece of burned mysterious iron from the furnace fire and began his first folding and forging.

"Bang, bang..."

The dull sound rang out, and strands of internal energy penetrated into the mysterious iron during the contact.

One forge!

Two forges!

……

No one spoke, and everyone’s gaze was tightly fixed on that piece of mysterious iron.

"Stop. If you hit it again, this piece of mysterious iron will be ruined," Elder Huoyun suddenly spoke and stopped Xu Yang at the one-hundredth forge. Xu Yang’s raised hand stopped in mid-air and slowly retracted.

"Your talent for weapon forging is average, and it is hard to achieve anything. In the future, try to use your mind on cultivation as much as possible," Elder Huoyun shook his head.

Nearly twenty days of cultivation, and Xu Yang hadn't even reached one hundred forges. This showed that his internal energy was not suitable for improving the material’s performance.

Truly talented people would reach at least two hundred forges in twenty days of cultivation. Xu Yang hadn't even reached half of that.

He had thought that Xu Yang, having been pushed away by Iron Floating and Changchun, would be a missed genius. This was ultimately a plot from a storybook. Xu Yang didn't have no talent for weapon forging, but not much, and in the future, even semi-spiritual weapons would be difficult.

"Yes, Master!" Xu Yang cupped his hands, feeling the distance in Huoyun’s words.

He hadn't intended to use all his mind on honing weapon forging skills anyway. Whether it was weapon forging or alchemy, they were all means for him to earn resources.

He didn't have half a ripple in his heart at Elder Huoyun’s words. He had a panel, so even without talent, he would master weapon forging skills sooner or later.

However, others didn't think so, all looking at Xu Yang with pity. Having no talent for weapon forging meant that Xu Yang would not be valued by Elder Huoyun.

Next, Elder Huoyun used Xu Yang as an example to guide this group of disciples, and then waved for everyone to withdraw.

"Junior Brother Xu, having no talent for weapon forging is nothing. Just focus on cultivation in the future. Whether it’s weapon forgers or alchemists, they are mainly serving martial artists.

If you need weapons in the future, I will forge them for you."

Gao Lin was worried that Xu Yang would feel bad, so he chased after him to comfort him.

Xu Yang laughed: "Then thank you, Senior Brother Gao."

That day, the news that Xu Yang had been declared by Elder Huoyun to have no talent for weapon forging spread among the Blazing Fire Peak disciples.

Xu Yang went to the canteen to eat, and those people looked at him with pity and gloating, because among them, the vast majority had also been declared by their masters to have no talent for weapon forging.

Seeing someone as unlucky as themselves naturally made them happy.

"Brother Xu, it’s fortunate you didn't spend that unjust money."

Xiong Kun walked over with large strides. It was unclear whether he was comforting Xu Yang or gloating.

He had a look of self-satisfaction and high spirits.

Xu Yang had already heard that his talent for weapon forging was not bad. Originally, Elder Iron Floating didn't welcome him, but because he had brought the *Thousand Forging Technique* close to two hundred forges in a month, he had gained Elder Iron Floating’s attention and was expected to reach minor success in the *Thousand Forging Technique* in a month and a half, reaching the level of three hundred forges.

"Brother Xu, you really have no talent for weapon forging." Jiang Fan appeared with a smile.

Not even a month had passed, and he had already given up cultivating the *Thousand Forging Technique*. Before, it was just a whim to learn the *Thousand Forging Technique*, but he found it boring and a waste of time and money, so he gave up after only ten days or so.

"I have no talent, is Brother Jiang very happy?" Xu Yang laughed.

Whether Xiong Kun was gloating, he couldn't judge, but Jiang Fan definitely wouldn't have such thoughts.

Jiang Fan said seriously: "Weapon forging is not the only way out. With Brother Xu’s talent, practicing martial arts is the right path. What alchemists or weapon forgers, aren't they all serving the strong?"

This statement made Xiong Kun’s face turn black. He was self-satisfied because he had decent talent for weapon forging, but hearing this now, it seemed like his talent was just to serve others in the future.

However, seeing that the person speaking was the young Marquis, he could only pinch his nose and endure it, not daring to refute.

"Brother Jiang, you really dare to say anything!" Xu Yang laughed.

Only the young Marquis would dare to say that alchemists and weapon forgers were all serving the strong.

Jiang Fan shook his head: "I just told the truth. With your talent, if you don't divide your attention to other things, you might be able to achieve a second dragon ascent in the future.

If you can achieve a second dragon ascent, I don't know how many weapon forgers on this Blazing Fire Peak would be willing to be your followers. There is really no need to waste time and wealth to learn any weapon forging skills."

Xiong Kun couldn't help it anymore: "Young Marquis, you are overestimating Xu Yang, aren't you? Even he wants to achieve a second dragon ascent?"

His ranking on the Ten Talents list was higher than Xu Yang’s, and even he, and even Han Feng, who was ranked higher, didn't have the confidence to achieve a second dragon ascent. Why should Xu Yang?

A genius who achieves a second dragon ascent might not even appear in a place like the Profound Heaven Sect in several years.

"Whether I am overestimating him, time will tell," Jiang Fan laughed.

Xiong Kun was somewhat surprised. Why would Jiang Fan evaluate Xu Yang like this? Or was it that he had a good relationship with Xu Yang and was deliberately building momentum for him here?

"Could this Jiang Fan have already seen my true talent?"

Xu Yang secretly felt surprised in his heart, but his face remained calm, saying: "Brother Jiang, I have heard people mention the second dragon ascent many times, but I really don't know what the second dragon ascent is. Please enlighten me."

He had always known that the dragon ascent was not joining the Profound Heaven Sect; the Profound Heaven Sect was just the first stop of the dragon ascent.

But as for what was behind it, he didn't know.

He had no background, and although he had apprenticed under Elder Huoyun, Elder Huoyun didn't even guide his cultivation, let alone chat with him about things unrelated to martial arts.

"You don't even know about the second dragon ascent?" Xiong Kun widened his eyes.

He was already an inner sect disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect, yet he didn't know these things?

Jiang Fan also revealed a hint of surprise: "The dragon ascent is naturally the path to transformation and becoming a dragon. Although the Profound Heaven Sect is the only sect in the nearby six counties, for the entire Great Xia, this is a rural place. How could it have the ability to let people transform and become dragons?

Only by walking out of the Profound Heaven Sect and entering a broader stage can we continue the path of becoming a dragon."

"A rural place?" Xu Yang muttered to himself.

The Profound Heaven Sect was like an emperor in the nearby area, with the resources and talents of the nearby six counties at its disposal, yet in Jiang Fan’s mouth, it was just a rural place.

How wonderful must the outside world be? How many geniuses are there?

Although he had always been cautious, it didn't mean he didn't want to see a broader stage. Although he was already immortal, he also knew that without entering a place where martial arts were more prosperous, he would just be wasting his time.

"Although I don't want to admit it, this place, not to mention relative to the entire Great Xia, even relative to this Yun Prefecture, can be said to be a rural place."

Xiong Kun sighed: "Yun Prefecture has thirty-six counties, and my Fufeng County is the most backward place. The entire county has thirteen counties with a total population of only about three million.

Those large counties all have populations of over five million, and the strongest few counties have populations approaching ten million."

Xu Yang gasped in shock.

According to Xiong Kun, the population of the entire Yun Prefecture alone reached an astonishing several hundred million. How many geniuses must be born among them? How prosperous must the dynasty that manages such a territory be?

"How many prefectures does Great Xia have!" he couldn't help but ask.

"Nineteen!" Jiang Fan said: "Yun Prefecture belongs to the lower-middle level among the nineteen prefectures."

With several hundred million people per prefecture, the population of the nineteen prefectures must exceed ten billion.

With several hundred million people in one province, the population of nineteen provinces must exceed ten billion.